In a Flash, In a Moment
by twacorbies
Summary: Chap1 Rose dreams psychic visions of 9 set after "The Parting of Ways." Chap 2 The Door of Gallifrey, Rose and 10 are reunited, set around Season 4. Chap 3: The Doctor Dreams, Chap2 from 10's perspective. PG-13 to light R rating.
1. In a Flash, In a Moment

She was spinning

Companion.  
Companion of the world.  
I am a companion of the world.

Perfect  
"Everything" is perfect,  
As itself.  
Because "everything" is itself.

Shaun Apple

She was spinning. Going nova. Ten billion suns transposed into the body of a woman. The fiery sword of heaven delivering final judgment.

When Rose woke her face was flushed red as though with fever; her skin dry as parchment. Images swam in her mind's eye. Strange words came back to her like a torrential rain on a devastated waste of drought. There was a white hot pinprick of fire at the base of her sternum that never left her now. When she closed her eyes she could taste ozone. It was a feeling that faded in daylight. In activity. Only in the dead of night. Only alone did it return. Though, she knew, it had never left.

Rose placed a hand over the place. At any other time she felt herself abandoned. Cut off from him. But here. She felt him here with her. Inside.

_Where are you?_ She reached out into the darkness, projecting her words outward, into space. She fingered the fabric of the universe and threw it back like a curtain. Oh yeah, that was a new talent.

There was a faint sliver of light. It glowed golden like a single drop of honey falling endlessly down. It never stopped. It simply shone. An amber jewel. That's what she thought Heaven was like.

Except she could hold it in the palm of her hand. In her soul. It was a single glistening gem. And It melted on her tongue like maple sugar. Like dew.

And the raging fire within exploded out, cresting into the darkness to meet it's refrain in a glorious rhapsody of starlight and butterfly kisses and fireflies. Yeah, she breathed, like a thousand thousand fireflies.

He appeared out of the corner of her eye, a leaf dancing over the rings of Saturn, with a grin from ear to ear.

_My Doctor_, the thought echoed across the vast expanse.

_My Rose_, he reached out to her an she ran over moonlight to be caught up in his arms.

_I never told you. I—I never told you I love you, _she smoothed her hands over his face, tears streaming.

_You did. You said it a million times with blazing eyes filled with glory. Rose, you said it when you came back, _he lowered he forehead to rest it upon her own; she brushed her nose against his pointed one.

_I underestimated you. Never happen again, _his eyes twinkled. A wellspring of laughter bubbled up like champagne around them. And when they had laughed themselves giddy he kissed her for the second time. She hadn't been sure he would be solid. Or she. But here he was filling her with his breath. Here he was tangling fingers in her hair and kissing her as though he could never get enough.

It wasn't but a moment that they fell, sun shining so bright she thought she was blind. Falling so fast she gasped for oxygen. And then—soft. So light. So delicate. They landed upon the petal of a flower—though of what she couldn't say._It's so big,_ she gasped.

_You're so small, _he breathed.

_Where are we?_ she asked.

_Caught up in a flash. In a moment. _

_It's not long enough_, she gripped him to her. Buried her face in the hollow of his shoulder. He kissed her hair.

_I know_, he said. He cradled her against him. Holding the pulsing energy of life contained within the body of a human girl. Marveling at her ability to call him here. He could feel something more within her now. A spark. A flickering light left over.

He could hear her thoughts tumbling over and over like waves against the shore. Her joy. Her grief. The love that reached out like the wing of a dove toward him.

_Oh Rose_, he said. He lifted her head to find her eyes. Her face was wet but she smiled at him. A sunshine smile. Her lips found his and she clasped her hands around his face. He thought she tasted of ocean spray. Or the fog that rolls in over London. But somehow still like Rose.

So like Rose. Even as they tumbled down upon the flower's petal he could hear her.

_Tell me_.

His lips were at her throat. At her breast. But he could hear her.

_Tell me_.

She pushed him away. Pushed him down. She slid up. Over him. They barely breathed and then—encompassing him. He gasped as she rose and fell. Her dark eyes held his captive even as her lips molded to his. He let his hands travel down her skin between them as she moved.

_I love you_, he said. _I love you, Rose. I love you_.

She was the sun setting over the ocean. The willow reaching down toward deep water. For an instant—for a lifetime. They were a single entity within the cosmos. Above every atmosphere. And below every sea. Her breath caught as he moved with her. And they both cried out at the end.

Their skin sparkled and they both began to fade.

_It's still here, _she closed her eyes drawing his hands to place them over the hollow beneath her breast. _Inside me_.

_I know_, he held her tightly against him breathing in the secret scent of her hair.

_I miss you_. She became insubstantial. Like starlight pouring over him.

_**I never left you**_. Her lips pressed his in their final farewell and he heard her whisper.

_I know_.


	2. The Door of Gallifrey

Rose sat in the darkness of her room, windows thrown open to reveal the cold night sky

But the livings for a good thing  
For some lessons maybe too.  
Know until then I'll be waiting,  
Waiting,  
Finding  
Loving  
True.

Morgan McGovern

Rose sat in the darkness of her room, windows thrown open to reveal the cold night sky. The clutter of her old life had disappeared. Somehow, traveling with The Doctor she had grown use to little. Her desire to fill every inch of space with fluff and color had moderated. Matured perhaps. She was drawn to simplicity now. The furnishings were in soft grays and whites. Her hard wood floor was bare. Clean.

She sat in the center of the room, facing the window. Facing the night sky. Nine months, two weeks, and five days since she had lost him. She kept vigil every night and was not discouraged by a lack of results.

She could feel the barrier in her mind. The great expanse of nothingness. She felt it every time she reached out to him. She felt it when she reached past her house—she would not call it her home. She felt it when she flew out and into space.

She studied. And she meditated. And she called to him.

_Where are you?_

She knew she had locked onto him once before. If it was possible once, it had to be possible again. No matter how far away he was. No matter the time. No matter the distance across the barren place. The void. She knew he was out there. Somewhere.

Rose lit the single tea light that sat in front of her. It was a simple flame. White paraffin wax. Clear plastic. It was nothing. Tuppence. But it was perfect in its simplicity.

Sitting cross legged, Rose blew out her match and set it on the floor, focusing on the candle flame.

The room had chilled from the night air and a slight breeze made the light flicker. Rose closed her eyes, exhaling a long slow breath, and pictured him in her mind's eye.

She pictured him how she first met him with his hawkish nose and close clipped hair. The thin mouth that couldn't keep from smiling. Couldn't stay angry.

She pictured him as he was now. Hair wild. His skin so fair. The eyes that had transformed from rain water to pools of utter darkness.

Rose's breath was deep and slow and measured. She held the shape of his hand in hers. She could almost hear his laughter in the distance.

_Where are you?_ she probed the darkness of the beyond. _Where are you? I need you_.

With a flash of light, the room glowed and Rose arched backward falling. Her body, insubstantial, fell through the floor. Through the earth's very foundation. She was hurtling through darkness. A blazing comet of ice and fire.

_Where are you?_ she called. _Where are you?_ She stopped when she reached the precipice. It was the farthest she had ever reached. And she had reached it so many times. She knew every rock. Each mote of dust. She knew, no matter how long she stared down into the abyss, her eyes would never reach the bottom. The mist that rose up obscured the sharp rocks. Softened and concealed, but did not lessen the danger. It was here that, against all rules and logic, she felt the power fail. Felt her connection to The Doctor grow tenuous. Her feet. Her hands. Her body became solid. Transported back to the physical plane.

Somehow, after everything, she retained her fear. It was a different place. She'd tried going 'round. Searched for a trail down and under. Scoured the heights for a bridge over. And yet it remained—stretching out across the distance. An impossible barrier.

"Doctor!" she called. "Doctor!" The sound was caught up by the howling wind. _I'm 'ere!_ Whether her thoughts made it across, she did not know.

Rose stood at the edge of a sheer drop that fell into infinity. Felt the urge to jump. The compulsion to fling herself over. She took several steps back. Then several more steps. She walked until the gorge was a thin line and collected herself. Then, taking a deep breath, she began to run.

The wind picked up, nudging at her back. Helping her along. She ran until her lugs were on fire and her legs were numb. She ran until there was no turning back. Her toes hit the crest and she leapt into the unknown.

She rushed. Falling. Falling. She hit the other side of the cliff, her hands slipping and sliding to take hold.

The wind sailed up beneath her, whipping her hair around her face. And then—impossibly—her hands secured the rocky face. She was on the other side. Rose gripped the uneven rock, pulling herself up. Her nails scraped as she reached the edge and pulled herself up and over the side. With a cry, she sank to the ground, clutching at solid earth. All her fear tumbled in on her as she choked back a sob, gasping for breath. With determination she regained herself and began her march across the barren waste.

The ground was hard and gray. Like dusty concrete it refused to yield, though her feet made no noise as she made her passage. The wind died down. She felt it now as a cool hand on the small of her back, as though it urged her onward.

_Doctor? Doctor, where are you?_ She walked on. She walked until the ground began to break up. Smaller and smaller pieces of dark grey earth. Small uneven bits of greyness flung themselves out over the darkness. Lighter they became. Smaller. Brighter and brighter. A starfield.

She walked until she came upon a silver stream. A river of molten starlight that flowed on and on. Rose didn't stop to wonder where the river led. If she should follow it upstream. Or downstream. But merely threw herself in.

She bobbed gently as she rushed along with the current—surprisingly swift. Its light enveloped her with its soft glow. _I can cross this space. I can follow this river. I will find you. I will find you_. She rode it until she knew nothing else.

A shape in the distance brought Rose back to herself. It took all her might to halt her progress. To grasp a hold of the shore that was no shore and drag herself from the river that was not a river.

There was a hill in the distance. It sat under a fiery orange sky and the wind blew across waves of crimson grass. Rose's heart stopped and then, somehow, seemed to start again. It thudded in her chest as she broke out into a run. Faster and faster she went until her eyes ran.

At the top of the hill stood a door. It was tall and sturdy. Perhaps oak. She turned and walked round it. It was the same on either side. A simple door. On a simple hill. Though unlike anything she had ever seen or imagined.

After a moment she looked down. There was a brass door knob. It was the shape of a wolf. She laughed suddenly, with hysteria. Grasped hold of it.

It was cold and smooth under her fingers. She twisted it, but it would not turn. She reached for the handle again with both hands, grasping it with all her strength and pushing hard with her whole body. Yet it stood. Impenetrable. She felt herself choking on her own desperation.

Rose staggered against the door. Her head coming to rest upon its unyielding surface. Her fingers loosened their hold. _Please open_, she begged. _Please. This is my only way back_.

Her head ached and her eyes ran with tears. The heart within her was already broken, but with this final loss she felt herself begin to crack. To shatter in pieces. She would blow away as dust.

_Please_, she whispered. A single tear fell tracing its way down the brass plate to rest upon the lock. And then everything went still. The wind died and what life there was on this world was hushed.

A short click sounded and the door swung open. Blinding white light cascaded over her, swarming outward like a host of insects, and enveloping her in its icy song.

Then, slowly, it dissipated. And the sun itself, while unseen, seemed to set. Pale shadows fell over her and, as she stepped through the doorway, she was bathed in the dusky blue of night. The scene before her took her breath away.

It was The Doctor. He lay on his side, facing her. The silvery bedclothes had slid down to expose his chest. His flesh was moon pale in the dim light. His breath was the slow melodious rhythm of sleep. Of rest.

"Oh," her breath caught. She feared to blink. She covered her mouth, but couldn't stop her tears from falling. She leant over him, reaching down to brush his hair from his forehead. A stray tear fell, against her will, to land upon his cheek. He inhaled deeply, rousing. His eyes blinked taking a moment before focusing on her.

"Rose?" he sat up suddenly, a face filled with disbelief, but before she could say a word he grasped hold of both her shoulders and swept her into his arms. He held her tight, face in her hair. She pressed her cheek to his, it was wet as her own. She turned into his embrace, molding her mouth to meet his. He yielded easily, falling backward. Wrapping himself round her.

He pulled her back from him slightly so he could see her face. Though tears still fell, his smile was bright. He brushed her face with his hands. His palms warm as they caressed her lips. Her cheek. Her heart leapt as she smiled back at him. He rolled so he was above her, now looking down into her eyes. His smile faded, though it didn't disappear. He lay his cheek upon her forehead; kissing her temple.

_I almost lost you. I thought I _had_ lost you. I thought……..you would live your life. Go on without me._

_Without __**you**__?_

_Rose._

_I am __**never**__ leaving you_.

_Rose._ She was silent waiting.

"I love you_,"_ his words were a soft as thistledown.

He kissed her again. Without concern. Without hesitation. He drank her down. He drowned in her. Poured over her like a torrential rain. And she held on with all her might. Feeling the fathomless empty space—the void within her—slowly fading away. The desperate shadow that had clung to her—lifted.

She held him to her. Engraved him upon herself with every strain. Each gasp and sigh—a palimpsest of flesh.

When she looked in his eyes she knew, for him, it was the same. She let go, feeling the rush. They crashed like a wave over the sand. His twin heartbeat hummed in her ear as they slowed.

_I missed you_, he said.

_I never left you_, her lips pressed his and she heard him echo—

_I know._


	3. The Doctor Dreams

_All children grow up, except one._

J.M. Barrie

The Doctor exhaled softly; running his fingers over the printed page before closing the book. The cover was dyed leather. A soft lavender blue, inset with an Arthur Rackham print. He fingered the fine indentation of the title. Smoothed the surface between his palms. Reopened the book. There on the endpaper, in neat but childish scrawl was a name. _Rose Tyler_.

He closed the book again. The metaphor wasn't lost on him.

Though he had grown up. Was, in fact, old. So old he thought if he were quiet he could hear his soul creaking. But he had no physical ailments. He threw off the trappings of old age as easily as a bed sheet.

No, it was his heart that pained him. Not his binary system, but his core. His soul. _If you believed that_.

Icy white heat knifed through him if stood still for just a minute too long. Breathed a little too deeply. Paused to reflect for even a moment. And, though this pain had many names and an even greater multitude of faces, the one that cause him the most grief—

The one that caused him to wake in the night when all was still but his two hearts thundering in his chest, was— Well it was staring him right in the face not a moment before, wasn't it? _Rose_.

The grip of her hand clinging to his was engrained upon his flesh; he didn't even have to close his eyes. Only think of her and there she was in his arms; her laughter ringing in his ears. _They'll never break us up will they?_

His breath was rugged and he felt cold. He wiped sweat from his forehead; rubbed his eyes with his hands. He longed to feel the weight of her leaning against him. To look down into eyes that met his fully. So trusting, so pure and without guile. She had been to him, he thought, completely unguarded.

He had known from that first moment. When she took his hand without question. Oh she might have twittered on about the police—but she had never once pulled away or turned aside.

She was so sweet, so young when they'd met. He remembered her standing on the deck of the Tardis, so proud of herself and yet so self-conscious. Decked out in her nineteenth century costume and making him promise not to laugh. But seeing her standing there had taken his breath away.

She was so _very_ young.

And yet he loved her. Wanted her. The smell of her hair, the feel of it running through his fingers. He imagined her warm and soft and yielding. He imagined her pink mouth curving to smile up at him.

"I told you," she said in sing-song fashion.

"Indeed you did. Now that you've had your bit of fun. Would you be so kind as to help me?" he grunted.

"You're just not suit'd to 'eavy liftin," she snickered.

"Yes thank you, I believe you informed me of that already," his voice was clipped.

"You're a wee lit'le pixie man," she reached up to loosen his tie, but he was frowning and stepped back.

"Excuse me? I'll have you know that I have lifted entire planets."

"Not in this incarnation you 'aven't." she looked contemplative "Ya know, I wouldn't try it either. You've a very delicate bone structure."

"DELICATE?!"

"Yes. Now come 'ere or you'll never get that off." He let out a laborious sigh, making a face, and stood still. Rose, still snickering, but now quietly to herself, took a step forward again and put her hand out. He let go of the tie, still looking somewhat put out.

"I'm so glad my pain amuses you."

"Well I'm SORRY, but per'aps if ya didn't cause such a fuss it wouldn't be so amusin. Really, ya should see your face!"

"Wellllllll," he grinned then and she lifted the tie over his head.

He shook his head, clearing it of the memory. God he wished that worked sometimes. Forgetting was so temporary. People didn't know, well how could they know? There was only one of him, and he barely understood it. That eidetic memory he possessed, so clear and so vivid. It was a blessing and a curse all wrapped up in a single package.

He could call her back to him; exact moments and phrases. Exact smiles. The way she brushed her hair out of her eyes when it was windy or shook her head back trying, and failing, to get it out of her face. He'd often wondered why she didn't pin it back, though he was always glad when she didn't.

"Alright now this isn't funny," Rose pressed each button on the panel of the lift, but they neither lit up nor did the mechanism regain its momentum.

"Who said anything about funny, we're stuck."

"No," she shook her head pressing a few of the buttons harder.

"Yes," he gently removed her hand from the panel.

"No, get us out!" she shook her arm from his hand, able to move back away from him only so far in the cramped space.

"Now why didn't I think of that?" he answered sarcastically.

"Oh my god, I can't breathe!" she started to panic.

"Rose, calm down. Look at me. This is a lift, not a mine shaft. Someone will notice eventually," he took hold of her shoulders and looked her in they eye; speaking calmly and rationally.

"Eventually?! What about your sonic screwdriver, why don't you point it at a panel or something?!"

"Yeaaaaaah, I haven't got it," he said somewhat sheepishly.

"What? What do you mean you _'aven't got it_?!"

"I left it behind. Wellll it was in my coat pocket," he qualified.

"I want you to know that I 'ate you very extremely much right now," she said thinly.

"Yes well, good for you," he was dismissive and arched his back a bit making a face. "Aeuh!"

"Oh lord, not again," she muttered.

"What?" he regarded her quizzically.

"You know, I've seen ya recover from mortal wounds within minutes of them being inflicted. But a minor shoulder injury 'as ya bellyaching for daaaays. Please explain that to me," her tone was mocking.

"It hurts," he whined.

"Now you, before ya became you," she frowned momentarily, " 'e was better suited to manual labour," her eyes glazed over, contemplating what The Doctor would do, were he still the _old Doctor_ and not the new Doctor.

"Oh I knew it," he said disgustedly.

"Knew what?"

"I knew you were going to bring him up," he twisted up his face, though with pain at his back or annoyance at the mention of the other Doctor, who could know.

"Well," she shrugged.

"You like him better than me," he moped.

"Oh I do not," she rolled her eyes.

"You do," he insisted.

"_Not._"

"Just a bit," he gestured with his thumb and forefinger.

"_No,_" she insisted once again.

"Come on, admit it. It won't hurt my feelings."

"Quite the opposite actually," she leaned back against the wall.

"What?" he looked puzzled.

"Yes you're right, that was a very confusing sentence, see if ya can wrap your delicate skull around it. I said, _the opposite_. Therefore, that would mean what?" her sarcasm was palpable.

"Me more than him?" he looked bewildered.

"And 'e's got it. Bravo," her words were derisive.

"Me more than him?!" he looked delighted.

"Alright, you're pushin it now," she said tightly.

"Rooooooooose," his face lit up in a grin.

"Well don't make a big thing of it," she grimaced.

"Me more than him," he stated to himself.

"Oh shut up." They were quiet for a while.

"Why do like me better?" Rose sighed loudly and rolled her eyes.

"No don't tell me. It's the hair isn't' it? No! My delicate bone structure. No! My extraordinary wit!"

"I take it back," she said flatly.

"What?!"

"I said, I take it back," she restated her words plainly.

"You can't _take it back_ you already said it," he looked very unhappy.

"Too bad," she crossed her arms; with effort in the tight space.

"Oooooooh you're mad," he needled her.

"No I'm not."

"You aaaaaaaare. I made you mad," he giggled delighted. "I bet he never made mad." Rose snorted.

"You've got a selective memory. And I'm not mad, I'm annoyed."

"Oh. Wellllll—" he made a dismissive gesture. "That's alright then. You get annoyed rather easily."

"I do not!" she glared.

"So, why're you annoyed?" he looked genuinely puzzled.

"Why am I annoyed? We are STUCK in a LIFT unable to properly MOVE. And YOU are debating my emotional state and whether I like YOU or _YOU_ BETTER!"

"Oh yeah that," he jutted out his jaw, seemingly to contemplate the ceiling.

"Oh yeah that," she repeated mockingly.

"Now Rose, there's no need to become hostile. If you'll direct your attention to that panel there," he inclined his head to the left. "You'll notice that red light blinking. I pushed the emergency call button as soon as I realized the lift had become non-functional."

"You did?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"I think someone owes someone an apology, hmm?" he stared at her intently.

"Oh you're going to get a slap you are." The Doctor chuckled and they were both silent again for several minutes.

"So, you really like me better?"

Sometimes he thought he could hear her calling to him. It was impossible, he knew. But still. Sometimes. It was like he could hear her. Like when you're asleep and someone's music becomes a part of your dream. Or when you can smell someone cooking from your window and you're suddenly hungry for shepherd's pie. It was just him wishing, he knew it was.

He slept little. For his species sleep was practically unnecessary. But when he did sleep, if he indeed slept, he would often wake from dreams of her with feelings of desire stronger than when she had been with him.

This body and its wants were strange, almost alien. He had grown used to middle age, he thought. And while he had not been immune to sexual fancy, this reclaimed youth was—difficult.

But even that, in and of itself, could be ignored. Dealt with and pushed aside. Except that it was Rose.

" 'Ow long've we been in 'ere?" Rose asked after a while.

"Oh I don't know. An hour?" he answered.

"Well they're takin their sweet time aren't they?" she sounded annoyed. She sat back so that she leaned slightly against his shoulder. Then sat back up.

"Oh, sorry, is that the 'urt one?"

"No, it's alright," he lifted his arm as she leaned back again, let it rest over her shoulder.

They were quiet again for a while, just breathing. Her eyes were closed and he thought perhaps she dozed, but then she spoke quietly.

"I guess it's not so bad, if a bit borin."

"Bored, when you're here with me? Bored?" he asked as though shocked and hurt, but then laughed.

"Oh no, you're riv'tin you are."

"Well why's it always on me? Why don't you come up with something to do?" She looked up at him and made a face.

"Fine. What's your favorite colour?"

"Blue. Is this a game?"

"I don't know, I was just wonderin," she glared a bit, but then looked as though she were preparing herself to ignore him altogether.

"Alright, sorry. Hmmm okay, what's your favorite book?"

"Peter Pan," she said drowsily.

"Always wanted to fly off to neverneverland?"

"Somethin like that, yeah," she smiled through closed lids.

He was asleep when she appeared. There was a bright light behind her like the sun, though it dissipated like fog and it had suddenly been dark again. He didn't know, was he dreaming? Somehow he let the question go and just let her come to him. Let her flow over him. He'd been so alone, what did it matter how she got here?

Her voice was in his ear; so sweet. And the taste of her in his mouth. It wasn't real but it was wonderful.

He sat watching her sleep from across the room. Didn't trust himself to lie there. Not with her. Just this small distance and he wanted to jump out of his skin.

But no, that wasn't it. He wanted to forget it all. To just climb back into bed and feel her mold herself around him as she had last night. His soft yellow girl.

He heard her breath change as she roused. She sat up partially, somewhat confused at finding herself in his bed. And then, the memory of the night before dawning on her slowly, she smiled and brushed the hair from her face.

"Mmmm, good morning," she said drowsily.

"There's tea, and your clothes are there on the chair beside you," he said quietly.

"Oh—" she stopped, looking at him with a bewildered expression.

"Here, look, I'll go outside for a moment so you can get dressed," he stood, running his hand over his face with a wearied expression.

"Well I don't see much point after last night," Rose sat up quickly, the blanket falling to her waist as she did so. Her nipples stood out in the cool air and he turned away, his eyes downcast.

"Ya know, I thought—oh for 'eaven's sake ya can look now," her voice was filled with hurt and exasperation. She waited to speak again until he was facing her. "Would ya mind tellin me what's goin on? And don't say nuffin or some kind of excuse. I know what you said to me when we were together. I didn't imagine it," her voice was steady but he saw a look in her face like a glass vase teetering on the edge of a shelf. She was standing with her arms a protective barrier across her chest. He crossed the two or three steps between them and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"No," he breathed, "You didn't imagine it," he reached out and took her hand. "_Although_—I thought _I_ did," he pressed her palm with his thumb and traced the lines he found there. He didn't meet her gaze.

"It was just another dream."

"No, it's wasn't. Would ya LOOK at me? I am right 'ere and you're missin it," her words were pleading. He dropped her hand.

"I don't know who sent you, and I'll admit they did a damn fine job of it. But you are not Rose. Just a brilliant simulacrum," he was on his feet again. Pacing.

"A what?!"

"A beautiful facsimile."

"I am NOT a facsimile," her voice was adamant.

"Then how did you get here? Do you even know? Where is here? Do you know that?" he was back on his feet staring her down. Daring her to make a mistake.

"Oh god your thick! Is that what this is about? You can't just wake me up and say, Oi Rose I'm real confused about this 'ole void crossin business, would ya mind explainin that for me? No, ya 'ave to run all 'ot and cold and then start on this simulacrum rubbish."

"You can't be her."

"Well. I. Am."

"I don't believe you."

"You don't believe _me_? You're the one oo runs about changin your face whenever it suits ya. _You're_ the one oo's impossible. I'm just the girl oo's walked through three pairs of iron shoes to find ya! But no, you make perfect sense because ya know yourself dontcha? When I do something brilliant, well it couldn't possibly be me could it?" she ran her tongue over her lips and once again brushed hair out of her face. He took her arm at the elbow, drawing her closer to him so he could look down into her eyes. She didn't blink. Just stared right back at him. Once again, he was the one to look away.

"I want to believe you." She took her arm back, crossing them again.

"No I don't think ya do. Or maybe ya do want, but you're too afraid. I'm not sure what I could say that would prove I am oo I say I am. All I know is that when I first met ya I thought ya were brilliant. And I didn't even know oo ya were yet," she smiled at the thought.

"I know ya used to have big ears and an 'uge beak of a nose—and some'ow you're both just the same as ya always were but also completely different," she touched his face so he turned toward her again. Stared deep into his eyes.

"And I knew that first time ya took 'old of my 'and—that I was safe. Just like I did that Christmas when _you became you_. Just like I know it _now_. No matt'r what, as long as I've got 'old of your 'and, _I'll be alright_. I thought back then I'd lost ya. I knew I 'ad when the rift closed. Please don't—" she gulped a breath. "Please don't tell me I've lost ya again."

"Is it really you?"

"It's really me," her eyes were pleading. He clasped her face in his hands, staring her straight in the eye. He held her gaze for a long time, never blinking.

"Then tell me how you got here," his hands squeezed her face, he knew it was too hard. She reached up to take his hand away, flinching.

" 'Ow can I?" she shrugged. " 'Ow can I say it so it makes sense? I knew—" she stopped and he could see the words forming in her head. "I knew I'd found ya once before. I knew some'ow there 'ad to be a way to do it again."

"Wait, what do you mean once before?" he felt suddenly lightheaded. She blushed.

"Nuffin, I shouldn't 'ave. Look I—I'll do whatever ya want. Go wherever ya want."

"Rose—"

"I'll do anythin you say," she looked pale.

"Tell me the truth, Rose," he spoke quietly, not touching her. He had no idea what she might say. What she might confess. If it was Rose, and he was almost sure it was now, he thought— It must be something, he paused the for a moment as it really settled on him. It must be something truly awful if she couldn't tell him. He saw her swallow slowly and cover her mouth with her hand. She closed her eyes and sighed. Then she spoke, eyes still closed.

"I don't know 'ow. I can't explain it. I'm not as clever as you, I know it," she opened her eyes, but didn't look at him as she continued.

"I missed you, ya know, the old you. I didn't mean to. I couldn't 'elp it. And you were all shiny and new and— I didn't want to 'urt your feelins. I don't want to 'urt your feelins now. That's why I never said nuffin about it. I want'd to make sure it really 'appened, sure. But, it wasn't worth it. It didn't matt'r to me by then. It was one weak moment and I'm glad it 'appened. But I don't want ya to think that's what I want. Not anymore," she babbled.

"Rose, what are you talking about?" he asked, exasperated. She took another breath.

"I don't know 'ow it 'appened, alright. I just—"

"Rose!"

"I closed my eyes and I looked for ya. I called and called. All the time. It worked before. I found 'im—_you_," she corrected herself. "I don't know 'ow. I just did. It was like, reaching out across this—massive distance. And it was like, there ya were. Dancin over the rings of Saturn. Look, I don't want to say anymore, alright. I was with ya. I told ya I loved ya and 'ow much I missed—" she sighed again.

"And ya looked at me with those gray eyes and ya just told me _you were still you._ That ya'd never left me." He leaned back, stared down at her over the end of his nose. He had this vague memory of giant lilies.

"I—I remember," he said slowly.

"You do?" He saw that vase teetering again. There in her eyes.

"That's why you said that last night, to me? That you'd never left?"

"I said it cause it's true. I never left ya. I'm never leavin ya," she reached out and took both his hands in hers. He could feel the pulse of her blood; steady.

"It was you all along. It was your voice, I wasn't going mad?"

"I called and called, but you didn't answer. I didn't think you could 'ear me. I didn't know if I was goin the right way. I just—kept walkin. "

"You walked?"

"I walked."

"Across psychic space?"

" 'Ow the 'ell should I know? I just walked until I got to this precipice. There wasn't any way around or over. I kept comin back to it again and again. And finally I just jumped. Right over. I thought I was gonna die. I slipped on the edge and I don't know 'ow long I 'ung there for, tryin to climb up. And then I just walked. Until I couldn't walk anymore. Eventually there was this red 'ill covered in red grass. And the sky was this burnt orange. And at the top of the 'ill was a door," the words poured out of her so fast he could barely keep up.

"And you just walked through and were here," he fought disbelief but he could still hear it in his voice.

"Yeah, more or less," she said. He sighed, looking down at her.

"You are impossible," he grinned.

"You believe me?"

"I believe you," he spoke more softly now. Wasn't sure even that he'd spoken aloud. She was back in his head and he could hear her. _I'm never leavin ya. _

"Thank you," he said. You _don't know—what that means_.

_Yeah I think maybe I do._ She reached up and cradled he face in her hands, standing on tiptoe to reach his mouth. Her lips pressed and he felt all his uncertainty slipping away. And he felt so content, he almost wondered what he had felt a moment before.

"It's not so bad is it, stuck in here with me?" The game had lasted only so long as Rose had stayed awake. He spoke again as she rubbed her eyes.

"If you're lookin for a compliment you're not gonna get it. You're lucky I'm letting the 'ole screwdriver thing go. 'Ow long was I asleep?"

"For a while. Welllll a few hours. Welllll you were snoring for two after that I didn't really pay attention."

"I do NOT snore," she said adamantly.

"Oh yes you do," he answered. She whimpered and made a face.

"Really quietly. Almost imperceptibly," he made a sign with his hand to denote how small. He put his hand in his pocket and his eyes lit up.

"HEY, looky here!" he pulled his hand out to reveal the sonic screwdriver.

"Oh NO, you 'ave not had that this ENTIRE TIME?!"

"Hmmm you know, now that you mention it, I remember taking it out of my coat so that we wouldn't get into this sort of situation."

"I really 'ate you. We have been in 'ere for HOURS." He ignored her, working on the panel for a moment. The lift began to descend.

"What do you care, you had a good nap. We can run over to the Statue of New Liberty. Or you can stay mad, excuse me, annoyed and we can just run along home," The Doctor feigned seriousness, as did Rose. But then the doors of the lift opened she couldn't hold back anymore and just laughed.

"Come along Wendy," The Doctor laughed too as they exited the building and walked out and into the sunshine.

(Quick author's note, I hope it's not too distracting to have Rose's accent more pronounced in this chapter. I've been practicing and thought I'd finally got it right. So anyway, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.)


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